The large blaze which tore through Weybridge Community Hospital led to 65 calls to the “stretched” emergency control centre (ECC) in Surrey which was being manned by just four staff members, according to the Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

The union said many of the calls had to be diverted to Merseyside’s centre due to Surrey's staff being overwhelmed by the call volume.

The union has suggested that the fire, which happened at around midnight on Wednesday (July 7), has highlighted the “idiotic” nature of budget cuts which come into effect in September.

A fire broke out at Weybridge Community Hospital at around midnight on Wednesday (July 12) (Image: SFRS)

FBU Brigade Secretary Lee Belsten said: “This one night has proven beyond any doubt that the budget cuts being imposed in September, to cut the number of ECC staff on duty during the night to just three, are simply idiotic and will definitely lead to call handling and mobilising delays.”

The huge blaze at the community hospital required more than 60 firefighters and fire officers at the scene.

The operation used aerial appliances from Leatherhead and Guildford, which were tasked with tackling the complex fire which involving many explosive cylinders.

Following this, at around 5am on Wednesday (July 12), more than 60 firefighters and officers were sent to a fire at industrial buildings in Ockham, which involved farm machinery and more explosive cylinders.

Many crews were sent straight from the Weybridge fire to Ockham, with fire crews sent in to cover Surrey from London, Hampshire and West Sussex.

Mr Belsten added: “These fires occurred less than 24 hours after Surrey County Council rejected a motion calling for an urgent review of Surrey Fire and Rescue's fire protection, prevention and emergency cover arrangements, which London Mayor Sadiq Khan agreed in London, following the Grenfell fire.”

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FBU have slammed the "idiotic" budget cuts which come into effect in September (Image: SFRS)

Since 2010, the County Council has imposed cuts on the county's fire service, which resulted in 33% of Surrey's whole-time firefighters being axed, according to the FBU.

The council is to impose further budget cuts, which the union says will cut the number of firefighters in Surrey by a further 42% and the ECC staff by 33% compared to 2010.

A spokesman for the union said: “It’s clear that Surrey will not cope with nights like this on their own and it’s only a matter of time before neighbouring brigades start to question why they are regularly providing and funding Surrey’s fire and emergency cover.”

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These September budget cuts will, according to the FBU, likely see some fire engines replaced by vans crewed by two firefighters. Plans are in place to axe five fire engines and reduce the number of crews available at night, to allow more to be available during the day.

Mr Belsten added: “This idea that because there are less fires during the night, this is reason enough to cut fire cover is another of SCC’s extreme risk strategies.

“The number of fires may be less but statistics show that more people die in fires at night which is assumed to be because they are generally not awake to be alerted to the fire and make their own escape."

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More than 60 firefighters were called to the scene of the hospital fire (Image: SFRS)

He said: “The same logic is being applied to cutting the number of ECC staff too but as last night has proven once again, it only takes one fire to stretch Surrey’s resources beyond what they can cope without calling on neighbouring counties for help.

“It is vital that we have the right number of resources at an incident as soon as possible as the smallest of delays in achieving a rapid and full emergency response really does make the difference between us rescuing casualties or recovering bodies.

“We can be thankful that last night, nobody required a rescue and no fire fighters were injured in the explosions. But will luck be on our side tonight?”

Surrey County Council has been approached for comment.

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